Rake.



J. L. KUMMER. mu;

APPLICATION FILED MAY 9, 1908.

Patented Oct. 27, 1908.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN L. KUMMER, OF GOLD SPRING, MINNESOTA.

RAKE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN L. KUMMER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cold Spring, in the county of Stearns, State of Minnesota,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rakes and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to rakes in general and more particularly to thatclass of rakes used for raking grass after it has been out upon a lawn,although it may be understood from the following description that theprin* ciples involved may be embodied in a rake for a variety ofpurposes.

The object of the invention is to provide a cheap and simpleconstruction wherein each time the rake is raised from the surface ofthe ground, the teeth thereof will be cleared of leaves, grass orwhatever else may be clinging to them.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification and in whichlike numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views,Figure l is a side elevation showing a rake embodying the presentinvention. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with the clearer pressedback to the position that it assumes during the raking operation. Fig. 3is a top plan view. Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing a somewhatmodified construction. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the clearing device.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a rake comprising a handle5, a head 6 from which depend the usual tangs, the head being connectedto the handle by means of a yoke 7 provided with a ferrule in which thehandle is received in the usual manner.

The clearing device which is secured to the handle of the rake directlyadjacent to the support of the clearer there extends a stem portion 13of spring material, and this stem portion is secured by a clamp 14 or inany other suitable manner, direct y agamst the Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed May 9, 1908.

Patented Oct. 27, 1908.

Serial No. 431,839.

lower face of the handle of the rake in positirin with the fingersbetween the teeth of the ra (e.

The normal position of the clearing attachment is with the fingers atthe lower or free ends of the rake teeth, it being understood of coursethat when the rake is in use, grass or other matter that is caught bythe teeth, forces the clearing fingers upwardly to the required extent.As soon as the rake is raised from the ground, the spring quality of thestem 13 serves to move the clearing fingers downwardly to the ends ofthe teeth of the rake, thereby forcing from the teeth any material thatmay be clinging to them. In this manner, the teeth of the rake arecleared of all matter and the efficiency of the rake is in no wisediminished.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings there is shown a modification wherein theextremities of the clearing fingers are continued to some extent beyondthe teeth of the rake and then down wardly, so that in the rakingoperation, the extremities of these fingers will'bear upon the groundand the clearing fingers will thus be forced positively in an upwarddirection to permit ready engagement of the teeth of the rake with thematerial to be raked.

It will be understood that in practice various modifications may be madeand any suitable material and proportions used for the various partswithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is 1. The combination with a rake including a headprovided with teeth and a handle, of a clearing device consisting of aplurality of fingers having a spring stem secured against the lower faceof the handle, the extremities of the fingers passing between the raketeeth and bent therebeyond in a downwardly direction, the spring stembeing so constructed and positioned as normally to hold the portion ofthe fingers lying directly between the teeth at the lower end of saidteeth and to permit movement of the fingers to the upper end of theteeth.

2. In a device of the kind described, a handle, an arcuate yokeextending from said handle rovided with a cross-bar connecting the endof the yoke, rake teeth extending downwardly from said cross bar, aspring member attached to said handle, a series of In testimony whereof,I affix my signature, clearing fingers formed on said spring ineininpresence of two Witnesses. her having their outer ends between the rakeJOHN L KUMMER teeth, said fingers all lying Within the limits of theperiphery of said yoke and normally Witnesses:

having their ends positioned near the points N10. WENNER, of the raketeeth. P. J. THEISEN.

